The Federal Government has clarified that the petition submitted by Yoruba nation agitator, Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, urging the United Kingdom to recognize the Yoruba nation, has not been endorsed by the UK government.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, who made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the UK government does not concern itself with affairs of sovereign nations.
He said, “Following media reports on the petition submitted at No. 10 Downing Street by Mr Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, the British High Commissioner in Abuja was invited to shed light on the issue.
“During the meeting, the High Commissioner noted with concern that the matter was overblown, indicating that the media reports were highly misleading.
“Furthermore, the High Commissioner informed that he was aware of the letter being delivered but added that it was merely an established practice of allowing the delivery of letters and petitions to No. 10.
“It was not endorsed by any agency of the UK government nor the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee.
“The UK government typically does not concern itself with petitions concerning the sovereign affairs of another country.”
He quoted the high commissioner to have informed that such petitions had been rejected by the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee and the UK Government in the past.
He further agreed to continue liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as needed, while reiterating the importance of the bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
It will be recalled that Igboho on Oct. 13, submitted a petition to the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, urging him to consider the creation of a Yoruba nation.
Igboho’s spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, disclosed this in a post on Sunday via his X handle, stating that the agitator submitted the petition on behalf of the leader of the Yoruba Nation movement, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye.
He wrote, “At exactly 14:00 hrs Dr. Chief Sunday Igboho delivered a petition to the UK Prime Minister on behalf of Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, leader of the YORUBA NATION movement, and Olayomi Koiki, his spokesman @10DowningStreet.”